The Valkyrie Has Come
by GirlInTheMask
Summary: When it's learned that Loki may be causing trouble, Thor leaves his daughter, Danielle, behind in Asgard to go search for him. He has yet to learn, though, that his daughter has other plans. Companion story to "The Girl in the Iron Mask".
1. A Murderess?

_Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Avengers, Iron Man, Thor, or whatever. All belongs to Marvel. Any other characters are mine._

_A/N: This story is happening at the same time as "The Girl in the Iron Mask"._

* * *

**The Valkyrie Has Come**

Prologue – A Murderess?

The nighttime darkness settled over the city of New York, bringing with it the humidity of the day. Though not as hot as it was hours earlier, her citizens still didn't need to cover up against cold, especially not in the deeper, more seedy part of the city, where the homeless kept fires burning no matter what time of year it was. Most of them didn't have anything to say as they gathered 'round like they usually did. But if they were on the lookout, they'd hear or even see a momentous event taking place in their own area.

In one particular part of it, a fight was occurring between a man in a dark hoodie, and the most unusual woman Earth had, or would, see in quite a while. She was dressed head to toe in white and desaturated pink. Her blond hair fell freely around her shoulders and her brown eyes were focused on the man in front of her. But who she was, and where she came from, only she knew, for she wore a viking helmet with a mask attached to keep anyone from any of the Nine Realms from seeing her face.

As for her opponent, he may or may not have been vital to her mission. In truth, she had not been searching for him, but a particular member of her rather large family, or so he was still thought to be. To say he was estranged would be an understatement, but she was determined to get information out of this man whether he wanted it or not.

Though it seemed that she would only be getting the bare bones of it, because he was now sitting on her, despite her efforts to fight him off.

"Guess it's no use now babydoll," he sneered at her, "You should've run off while you could."

She didn't respond immediately. Though she did hesitate at first to fight him, since he didn't seem in his right mind and he was unarmed, she was now regretting that she didn't bring pepper spray. But, she remembered, she did bring something else.

"No," she said, "I think it's time you run while _you_ can."

Though he had her by the wrists, she reached forward and bit his hand. When he drew it back, she immediately reached for her weapon in her belt. It was the hilt of a sword. But once it was out, she pressed a button, and the blade instantly shot up, scratching the man across his arm. He cried out in pain, hurried off her, and fled toward the road to escape. But she, still needing more information, chased him.

She tackled him, making fall to the concrete ground, then sat on his back with her sword to his neck. Suddenly though, both heard what sounded like police sirens, and up pulled two cruisers with their lights going. One officer hurried out before one of them even stopped.

"What's going on here?" he demanded.

"Help me!" the man said, as though he were a victim, "She just killed my girl, now she's about to kill me!"

The eyes of the officers, both the first and the rest that got out of the cars, immediately turned to her. Her eyes instantly widened, and she realized what was about to happen. Before it could though, she saw for a brief second a possible way of escape. Deciding to take it, she hastily got back on her feet, leaving the man on the ground, and rushed past the officers who tried to grab her as she ran.

"Hey! Stop!"

But she didn't listen. She drew the blade back into the hilt before returning it to her belt, and ran for the fire-escape on the building across the street. She didn't go for the ladder first, but the first platform. She scrambled onto it, and then hurried up the steps, the officers behind her in hot pursuit. She managed to elude them all the way to the top, and then, before their startled eyes, she leaped across the building to the one next to it.

They weren't about to give up though. The two officers ran as fast as they could back down the fire-escape and then rushed toward the cruiser they shared, but by then, they were already losing their suspect.

Even as she heard the sirens again, behind her this time, she didn't stop. She jumped from building to building, with her cape flowing out from behind her, almost as if it were natural, and, in a way, it was. There were various people who performed the stunts she did, but it was almost as if she were born to do this. But that wasn't what she was focusing on.

_Well this was a giant waste of my time_, she thought, deep in the heat of her frustration. But then, she couldn't help but frown at herself. _Well, maybe not, but I could've gotten something more useful!_

She then decided to turn her thoughts toward evading those who thought wrong about her, thinking only of the irony of the whole thing.

Truth is, she wasn't even supposed to be here, or on Earth at all. All who knew her – well, almost all who knew of her – thought her to be somewhere else, and if discovered otherwise, she could be facing less than pleasant consequences. Hence the motivation to hide her identity, the reason to hide behind the masked helmet, especially from one whom she was not exactly getting along with lately.

She hadn't murdered anyone, like the authorities here thought she did, but she did bend the rules for her own purposes. And reluctantly, she admitted. But she wasn't going to be kept in the dark forever. _Another irony_, she thought as she looked up at the night sky above her.

Before long though, she decided that she had to get the police to stop following her, otherwise, her plan for the night, and likely the future, would be ruined much too soon.

She didn't waste any time in carrying her idea out. She jumped onto the next building, but instead of continuing, she fell forward to the ground, rolling onto her front side in the gravel. She then crawled over to the edge, and looked only slightly over it at the cruisers coming around the far corner. As she'd hoped, they didn't stop, or even slow down. Instead, they continued down the road in their search for an alleged murderer.

She breathed a sigh of relief once she was out of sight, and then turned her concerns toward getting back to where she'd come from.

Suddenly though, she heard, and felt, the sound of someone tall, strong, and superhuman landing behind her. Her heart began pounding against her breastplate, and her pulse against her head, not just at the person landing behind her, but at hearing a voice she immediately knew.

"And what am I supposed to make of all of this?"

Slowly, but not without some hesitation, she turned her head, and there before her stood the last person she wanted to see: her father, Thor Odinson, the god of lightning, and crown prince of Asgard.

* * *

_Reviews would be appreciated._


	2. Under the Stars

**The Valkyrie Has Come**

Chapter 1 – Under the Stars

_**Two weeks earlier…**_

As the sun lingered over the Atlantic ocean, preparing itself for its daily setting past the horizon, Danielle couldn't help but be inspired by such a beautiful sight as she sat in the window seat in her bedroom. With the window open, allowing the fresh, almost salty-scented breeze to fly in, it almost felt like she was on a boat, minus the nauseating feelings.

Unfortunately, she made the mistake of looking at the sun a little bit too long. She immediately shut her eyes and looked in the opposite direction. When she opened her watery eyes again, she was looking at her reflection in her vanity mirror, seeing both her curly, blond hair, which fell behind her in a low ponytail, and her large brown eyes, a poignant reminder of who – and what – she was.

Danielle wasn't like any other person on the face of the Earth, or any of the Nine Realms to her knowledge. She was virtually compromise incarnate. Whereas some children would be half and half in terms of ethnicity – half Black and half White – she was half and half in a much different sense of the word. She was the daughter of a human mother, and a superhuman father.

She looked away. Not that she was ashamed of herself, but because she wanted to focus on something else. But what? Well, the school year was over. No subjects impossible to learn and no tests she couldn't pass, among other things, for three months. But even then, summer didn't bring necessarily pleasant thoughts.

Danielle sighed in an emotion she couldn't identify. She thought about calling Jasmine Stark, her best friend for ten years and the closest thing to a sister she ever had, being an only child. Her parents, billionaire inventor Tony Stark and his secretary Virginia (or "Pepper"), were filthy rich, but Jasmine never treated it like a big deal. Nor did she treat Danielle like a big deal. Together, the two gawked at cute boys, participated in the school play, and went to each other's tournaments (Danielle being a jazz dancer while Jasmine was a gymnast). But when it came to the other kids at school, it was a different story.

It wasn't like she was looked down upon. In fact, she was popular at school, but Danielle was pretty sure it was only because of her unique heritage, especially when it came to boys. They'd either be too afraid of her father, or they'd ask her out anyway. Still, Danielle could almost never be sure of their sincerity, so she'd reluctantly turn most of them down.

She was now so deep in thought, she almost jumped when she heard the sound of a door downstairs being shut. The front door. Her mom. Was she home? It had been a couple hours since Danielle came home from school. It had to be her. She immediately leaped from her window seat and hurried down the stairs to the foyer, where, just as she'd hoped, her mother – Jane Foster, one of America's leading astrophysicists – stood.

"And what are you looking so happy for," Jane asked teasingly, "other than school being over?"

"What?" Danielle asked, "I can't be happy to see you?"

They both then proceeded to hug each other.

"How was your day?" Danielle asked.

"Follow me," Jane said as she left, "I'm going into the kitchen. I could use something hot like…"

"Tea?" Danielle suggested as she followed her.

"Yeah. You want some?"

"Sure."

Jane nodded and then took out the electric tea kettle from the cabinet.

"You know you didn't answer my question," Danielle reminded her.

"Oh, my day?" her mom asked, "It was fine. What about you? How was school?"

"Fine," Danielle replied, "We got our report cards."

"Oh boy," Jane sighed, "What's the damage done this time?"

"Well," Danielle hesitated a little bit, "I got a B in Spanish."

Jane looked at her with raised eyebrows as a silent way of asking, "What else?"

Danielle sighed, "Well, the rest are Cs and, yeah, I did get an almost D in Algebra."

Jane let out a heavier sigh than before. "Dan, I don't know why you don't get Jasmine to tutor you."

"That's the thing Mom. They make it seem so easy yet it never makes any sense. You think you need to use this formula, but it turns out you need to use another. It's maddening. Besides, I don't see how I'm gonna use this in life."

"Well, you never know," Jane said before she turned on the sink and let the water pour in, "I used it."

"Yeah, but you're an astrophysicist. No offense but, I'm not really planning on being one."

"Then what do you want to do?"

Danielle raised her eyebrows, knowing she hadn't really thought of that. Not knowing what else to say, she replied, "I don't know."

"Well, it won't be long before you go to college."

Danielle, seeing that Jane's eyes were on the kettle, rolled her eyes. But when her mom looked at her again she said, "Alright. I'll get it next time."

She then asked her, "Hey, you doing anything tonight?"

"Uh yeah," she replied, "I was planning on going to the roof to look at the stars. Why?"

"Can I join you?"

"Of course," Jane smiled, "You want regular or green for your tea?"

"I'll take regular," Danielle smiled back.

After the tea was made, Danielle went back upstairs to her room and sipped her hot beverage while sitting in her window seat, reading a good book and occasionally looking outside to watch the sunset. For most sixteen-year-olds, such activities would be boring, but she always found them relaxing after a tiring day at school. She considered herself to be on the intellectual side of teenagers, though she knew the apparent irony considering her grades. No one doubted that she was smart, but she was somewhat lazy. Even so, Danielle was happy that she managed to make a passing grade in her most difficult subject, and even happier knowing that for three – hopefully long – months, she wouldn't have to deal with it.

After it was completely dark, Danielle changed into her pj's and headed for the roof. The night immediately greeted her, and so did her mom, who was already sitting in one of the chairs and even had a fire going. Danielle didn't hesitate to take the seat beside her, watching the sparks dance up to the night sky dotted with dozens, if not hundreds, of stars.

She remembered when she was little how her mom would point out different constellations to her, and name the stars they contained. They even made a game out of it which they called "Spot the Star", naming as many constellations and stars as they could. Danielle couldn't help but smile, but her smile quickly turned into a frown, because those were the times when her father…

Jane suddenly broke her train of thought. "Really makes you see how beautiful such simple things can be."

Though frustrated that her mom interrupted her, Danielle nodded in agreement. Still, she felt an unasked question nagging at her to be said, until she said it.

"Mom, have you ever felt like you didn't, belong anywhere?"

Jane looked at her with slightly raised eyebrows for a moment before replying, "Well, when I was your age I was definitely the oddball in high school. I would, go to the library as often as I could, reading anything on astronomy or space-related. I was very shy and didn't do a lot of social things, but I had the support of my parents and, the few friends I had…"

Danielle started frowning as her mom continued.

"But then I went off to college, where I made some new friends, had my very first kiss…"

"Aww," Danielle suddenly said.

Jane chuckled, but then she herself frowned. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh I was just, wondering," Danielle replied, though it was a bit of a lie.

"Well, on another subject, are you ready for tomorrow?"

Danielle immediately looked at her. "Um, uh, yeah. I'm ready."

"You don't want to go?"

"Well, yes and no," Danielle replied. Truthfully, it was something she kind of wanted to avoid. For the past five summers, Danielle left Earth to go visit with her father's family until she returned for the start of the school year. She had to leave Earth because her father wasn't just any man. He was Thor, god of lightning, protector of Earth, and a member of the Avengers, a team of superheroes composed by the S.H.I.E.L.D. organization.

"Why yes and no?" her mom asked.

"Well, it's not that I don't like going there or that I don't appreciate what Dad is doing for me, 'cause I do, both. But, at least here people kind of look up to me – in a weird way – 'cause I'm technically a demi-goddess. But, in Asgard, there are those who look down on me because, let's face it, I'm a half-breed."

Jane nodded, not saying anything knowing she wasn't finished.

"I don't know," Danielle shook her head, "I feel like I'm being forced to choose one or the other."

"Oh Danielle." Jane reached out her arms, inviting Danielle to sit next to her, which she immediately did. She then hugged her closed and kissed her forehead.

"Danielle, I know it must be hard, being in such a unique position. I can't say I understand completely, and I don't put this the wrong way but, you can't measure your value based on other people's opinions. No matter what realm you choose, your dad and I will love you just as we always have."

Danielle, despite wanting to object, felt a smile come to her. "Thanks Mom."

They both then went back to their stargazing, pointing out constellations they'd managed to see despite the lighting from the nearby city. But before long, though Danielle didn't make it known to her mom, she couldn't help but truly think about Jane's words, about the "special" problems that came with being a person like her.

The first, and perhaps the biggest, had to do with her parents. Years ago, months after the Dark Elves invaded Earth and Jane got a new position in New York, Thor happily announced to the whole of Asgard that he and Jane had been married in secret. Though they knew of Thor's love for her, a mortal woman, the reaction wasn't exactly what he expected – especially considering he had a bit of a habit of not thinking things through. In fact, most of them went crazy, and not in a good way. Frigga, Danielle's grandmother, reportedly cried herself to sleep. As for her grandfather Odin, the king of Asgard himself, it was a wonder he didn't banish Thor from the realm forever.

Then Danielle came along, and her life – especially in the past few years – seemed like nothing but compromise. For social reasons on Earth, and since Thor didn't have a proper surname, Danielle was given her mother's surname. And while her father lived with her and her mom for the first ten years of her life, a threat of war in Asgard sent from the Frost Giants of Jotunheim forced Thor to balance his time in both realms. Though he visited often, he still wanted his daughter to get some appreciation for the other part of her nature, and so she began spending three months a year in his realm.

Danielle wondered if she'd ever get some kind of stability in her life, if she'd ever be able to balance out the two sides of herself. But concerning what she had now – two parents who loved her for her and not what she was – she knew she was off to a good start. Maybe one day it would all make sense. But now Danielle was content to just look at the summer sky and wonder what the future had in store for her.

* * *

_Reviews would be appreciated._


	3. The King and I

_Sorry for the wait. I was on vacation. Plus I had a slight case of writer's block._

* * *

**The Valkyrie Has Come**

Chapter 2 – The King and I

As Danielle lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, and occasionally out her window at the slowly graying sky, she couldn't help but wonder why she got barely any sleep through the night. Though she'd shut her eyes as soon as she went to bed, she never felt herself getting lost in the land of slumbering. Often she would close her eyes, open them again, and then repeat the cycle. She tried a few sips of milk and less covers to escape the heat of the coming summer, but by the time she did manage to go to sleep, it was past two in the morning.

Danielle tried turning over on her side, but even that didn't seem to help. She soon found herself remembering the first time she went to Asgard, as a shy and timid girl of eleven. She remembered feeling so nervous about how everyone would receive her, how hard it was to bottle up those feelings to appear brave in front of her father. Indeed, she felt almost like a kid going into the dentist's office to get a filling, only there wasn't any laughing gas to make her feel better or make the pain go away.

And yet while she was there, she couldn't find it in her heart to dislike Asgard as much as she wanted to. It was a weird cycle of feeling that Danielle went through every time she visited since. She didn't want to like it, but every time she ended up liking it in some way by the time she left. She really did, as she said earlier to her mom, appreciate the visits, but she could also feel the almost disapproving frowns whenever she got there. Nearly always she caught at least one of them.

Then came the other aspect of the bizarre cycle: she could never tell her dad how she really felt, no matter how much she wanted to. She knew, or rather assumed, the reason why. He might get upset with her. Though he was her dad, she, like anyone with common sense, feared antagonizing a man as powerful as him. Yet surely Thor, as her father, would appreciate her being honest.

Danielle eventually grew so frustrated over what to do that she sat up in bed and punched her pillow. Yet another sign that she was Thor's daughter: her temperament was about the same as his. She couldn't help but roll her eyes, groan, and then flop back down in her bed, her face buried in her pillow.

In that moment, she decided that after five years, no matter how much a part of her could beg her not to, she was going to tell her dad how she really felt about these visits: that she neither loved nor hated them, that she appreciated his desire for her to appreciate his realm but that she wished to be given space – now that she was two years away from being a legal adult – to think about what she really wanted.

But now that she thought about it, she was far from sure of what she wanted. She eventually decided that for now, it would be better to try to focus on something else: specifically her exhausted state, physically and mentally. She turned over one more time, and closed her eyes, hoping one more time she would manage to get some sleep before she left.

Surprisingly, she did. When Danielle woke up again, it was eleven-thirty in the morning. _Wait, eleven-thirty in the morning?_ Danielle looked at her clock again, and was mortified to see that she was right. She and her mom were supposed to meet her dad in just half an hour! She instantly tossed back her covers and ran for her shower.

She immediately went to work furiously washing her hair, wanting to look presentable before she even arrived in Asgard. But later, even though she was done washing, she took a few minutes to think about what she might want to say to her dad. As the still hot water fell soothingly against her back, she wondered and pondered, yet, to her disappointment, nothing came to her. Wait a minute, there was something, but it was a new idea.

Danielle felt almost repulsed by it, wanting to go along with her original plan. But after thinking it over, and quickly, because at least ten minutes had passed, she eventually decided that she'd probably be a bit more honest with herself and her dad, if she made a mental list of the good things that came with traveling to this realm as well as the bad things.

But not willing to think about it much longer, Danielle put it in the back of her mind as she turned off the shower and stepped out. After hastily drying her hair and pulling it back, she pulled on a lavender tank top and a pair of jeans that stopped just past her knees.

"Dan!" she suddenly heard Jane call from downstairs, "Are you ready?"

"Just a minute Mom!" Danielle called back.

She then pulled on some socks and then tennis shoes. But there was one more thing she remembered she needed. She went into her closet and took out a medium-sized case. The first few times she went to Asgard she didn't take anything, both as a rule from her father and because it wouldn't be needed anyway, since Asgard lacked electricity. But this time it was necessary. What the case contained would turn out to be a very important part of her visit – at least, she hoped so.

After making sure everything she packed in it was there, she took up the case and hurried down the stairs, where her mom stood waiting.

"How do I look?" she asked.

"Danielle, you look fine," Jane assured her. She then noticed the case in her hand. "Is that part of…"

"My gift?" Danielle interrupted, "Yeah. You think he'll like it?"

"Well, I know this is going to sound cliché but, it's the thought that counts," Jane replied.

"Well, in that case I hope he thinks it's good."

"He will," Jane nodded, "Now come on, we don't want to keep your dad waiting."

"Oh right!"

Danielle and Jane immediately hurried out the front door to the car parked outside. Jane got in the driver's seat while Danielle took the one beside her, and soon, Danielle found herself twisting her fingers, as she usually did when she was nervous, while her mom drove.

During her father's last visit, he explained to Danielle that in Asgard, it was customary when one reached her age to give a sort of gift to the king, namely Odin. In the days that followed after he left, she practically stressed herself out over what to give to her mighty grandfather. Did it have to be something he liked? Could it be something she liked? She didn't know. When she did come across an interesting idea, Danielle at first thought it was stupid. Even now it still seemed to be a little far-fetched. Still, nothing else seemed to fit, and her mom did assure her that if she loved it, then so would Odin.

Trying to put her mind at ease, Danielle concentrated on what she could put down on her mental list. She decided that even though it might be easier to look for bad things, she liked a bit of a challenge every now and then, so she put her mind to work thinking of good things instead. Strangely, it didn't take long for her to come up with one. It was summer, and while most girls would leave their state to go on vacation, some even leaving their countries, she was the only one that she knew of in the whole world to leave her realm and planet. That was one good thing.

But before Danielle could think of another, her mom stopped the car, almost abruptly making her lose her train of thought. They were now far away from the last row of houses she remembered seeing, and were now near a vacant, grass-covered cliff facing the sea, where a tall, lone figure wearing a long red cape stood. She didn't have to wonder who it was as she and her mom got out of the car.

Just before they got to him, the man who shared his daughter's golden hair turned around, and the smile on his face at seeing her proved to be contagious, as Danielle smiled too.

"Danielle! You've come at last!" Thor put down his hammer, Mjolnir, and held his arms out toward her, as he usually did when he visited.

"Morning Dad." Danielle smiled as she put her case down and embraced her father.

But when he looked at her, he frowned. "You've got circles under your eyes. Have you slept well?"

"Dad, I'm fine. You don't need to worry about me."

"Very well then," he smiled again, "I assume you're ready?"

"Yes, I am," Danielle nodded.

"Then what was that you were holding?" he asked, referring to her case.

"Oh that? Oh, it's part of my gift for Grandfather."

"Really?" Thor asked, "Might I ask what it is?"

Danielle bit her lip slightly, then smiled again. "I want it to be a surprise."

"Then I assume it's a wonderful gift."

He then looked behind her, and walked past her. "Jane!"

"Thor."

Danielle watched as her parents hugged, her mom's arms around her dad's neck while his arms were around her waist. "How are you faring?" Thor asked.

"It's only been two weeks," Jane replied.

"And I'm not allowed to show concern for my wife?"

"Don't be such a smart-aleck," Jane smiled.

The two then chuckled at each other, but then Jane's smile fell to a frown.

"In all seriousness though," she said, "I think you'd better pay a bit more attention to Danielle. She seems extra nervous this time."

"She has nothing to fear and neither do you," Thor assured her, "And I will continually let you know how she fares."

"Promise me she'll fare well?"

"I give you my word."

Jane smiled again. "And you never go back on it."

Danielle watched further as Thor and Jane then kissed, and she couldn't help but smile a bit bigger than before. Whereas a lot of kids would feel weird at their parents kissing in front of them, Danielle thought it was sweet. She wanted to be certain that when she married, her relationship with her husband would be the same way.

When they finished kissing, she decided to go over and say one last goodbye to her mom. This time, her smile was bittersweet.

"Bye Mom," she said as she hugged her one more time.

"I'll see you later," Jane replied.

Danielle then asked the question she asked every time before she left. "Are you sure you won't be lonely?"

And her mom gave the same answer. "Don't worry about me honey. I have plenty of work to do."

Danielle nodded only slightly. She didn't like leaving her alone. She had no reason to doubt she was telling the truth or to believe she saying that to make her feel better, since for most of her life her mom's position kept her at work often. Though she sometimes had suspicions otherwise, she never found evidence for it, from her own observations or from Jane. But even so, Danielle had her first bad thing on her list.

"Well, I love you."

"I love you too," Jane replied as she kissed Danielle on the forehead, "Promise me you'll at least try to have a good time?"

Danielle nodded. "I promise."

She then let go of Jane, took up her case, and wrapped her arm around Thor's. They then walked together back to near the edge of the cliff, where Danielle held close to her dad while he held onto her. Not willing to miss this chance, she waved one more time at her mom, and then closed her eyes – and bit her lip at knowing what was to come – before her dad raised his hammer, and they were off.

For a few brief seconds, Danielle felt the rush of an unnamed force raising her at what felt like the speed of light. She also opened her eyes only slightly to see a swirl of bright colors around her. This of course wasn't the first time she'd traveled on the Bifröst Bridge, but it never felt less than impressive. Before she knew it though, she opened her eyes again, and found herself and her father in what she recognized as the base of teleportation. The golden dome decorated with countless designs towered above her, and she knew immediately she wasn't on Earth anymore.

She looked at her father again, and found him smiling at her. "Welcome back to Asgard daughter," he said warmly.

Danielle again felt his smile pass to her, despite the anxiety she felt which she hoped didn't transfer to her face. "Thanks Dad," she nodded.

"What is the matter?" he then asked her.

She briefly pressed her lips together. Against her hopes her anxiety had apparently registered with him. Still, she shook her head. "Nothing. Just a bit shaken from the ride back there. I think I'll feel a bit better once we get to the palace."

"Are you certain?" he asked.

Danielle nodded. "Yeah."

"Alright then," he nodded back. He then offered his arm again, and Danielle took it, allowing him to lead her out of the domed room to greet – to her slight dismay – the guardian of the Bifröst himself. He stood just outside the second opening, his dark skin contrasting somewhat sharply with the golden armor he wore, along with the staff of the same color he held firmly in his hands. Danielle felt a slight shiver travel up her spine as soon as they stopped in front of him.

He looked at them only shortly, with his unblinking orange eyes, before closing them and slightly bowing his head.

"Your Highness, my Lady," he said in that intimidating voice of his.

Though she didn't want to reveal it, Danielle was somewhat afraid of him. She had been ever since she saw him for the first time, never getting over the fact that even though he and Thor were about the same height, and that he would never hurt her, she felt like a dwarf compared to him. Then again, maybe that was his purpose, inspiring fear into those who weren't welcomed in this realm. If it was, then he was doing a pretty good job. She added another bad thing to her list.

Still, despite her intimidation, she felt the need to say something.

Grasping her father's arm a bit tighter, Danielle managed to say, "Good afternoon…Heimdall."

"You are not particularly happy to return to our realm," he said.

Danielle instantly bit her lip, hard. In addition to guarding the bridge, she knew Heimdall was perceptive beyond even what the people of Asgard were capable of being, and remembering that increased her anxiety at being around him.

"You could say that," she reluctantly agreed.

"Is everything ready?" Thor then asked, "As I left it?"

"Yes," Heimdall replied, "The palace awaits you both."

He then stepped aside, and there stood a horse on either side of the beginning of the crystal bridge. One was a magnificent white stallion, which Danielle knew immediately to be for her father, and the other was a more docile looking mare, sandy colored with a white mane and tail.

Danielle felt at least some of her anxiety melt away. One of the things she really liked about visiting Asgard was horseback riding. She would sometimes spend whole days just riding through the realm on one, and they never thought anything ill of her like she knew some of the people did. She jotted down another good thing.

"Do you need me to help you?" Thor asked her.

Danielle shook her head. "No. I want to try it on my own this time. But, can you carry my case for me?"

"Of course," Thor nodded. Danielle then put down her case and walked over to her horse.

Taking the reins in her left hand and pressing onto the horse's back with her right, she jumped and tried to swing her leg over, but only made it about halfway. Still, she moved her leg a bit more and soon she was in the saddle. After getting her feet in the stirrups and the reins in both her hands, Danielle looked back at her father, who was also on his horse, and nodded to let him know she was ready.

He nodded back, and set his horse into a canter, taking off before Danielle could manage to get hers to travel at the same speed.

As they rode down the bridge together, Danielle took the chance to look at the view ahead of her, trying to add as many good things to her list as possible. While she couldn't see a sun anywhere in the vast, blue sky, it was still lit as though there was one. Even though it was daytime she could see a few stars out there, as well as clouds, and even some planets, or what she perceived as planets. On the bridge made of who-knew-what-fine material beneath her, she could see traces of its signature rainbow coloring. And in the distance beyond the bridge, her eyes widened at the marvelous sight before her: the city of gold that awaited her, as well as the palace more massive than any building on Earth she'd ever seen. It didn't matter how many times she'd been here, these sights always impressed her. And she knew she'd continue to be impressed.

Once they made it to the palace – which was even more gigantic up close – a stairway at the end of the bridge met them. A voice, presumably from one of the guards, called out, "Make way! His Highness has returned with the Lady!"

As Danielle and Thor slowed their horses to a stop, a guard hurried down the steps and came to Danielle's side, looking a bit too eager to help her off her horse.

But her father soon came to her side, causing the guard to sidestep slightly.

"I will be more than happy to help her off myself," he said before looking up at her, "If she is willing of course."

Not willing to deny Thor such an innocent request, Danielle smiled and nodded. She held onto his arms while he took hold of her and got her off the horse. He then handed her the case, and the two traveled, arm in arm, up the stairs, and through the large, decorated doors at the top into the palace.

Though Danielle kept her head high and her eyes looking straight ahead, she still felt somewhat small traveling through the biggest house she'd ever seen. Some halls seemed to be as long as a football field, lit by dozens of torches on the walls. Every now and then, they encountered patrolling guards who bowed once coming across them.

Suddenly, she asked Thor, "Where are we going?"

"I thought I'd take you to your room," he replied, "since you said you feel rather shaken."

"Yeah," Danielle agreed. But then Thor spoke again.

"Your mother seemed concerned about you before we left. She claimed that you were nervous about visiting this year. Tell me, is this true?"

Danielle looked slightly away, but she couldn't lie. Instead, she nodded. "In a way, yes."

"Why?"

She could now feel her adrenaline slowly rising. She hadn't planned on revealing how she felt this soon. She had to choose her words carefully, so as to be honest but not push her father away.

"Is it because of the gift you must present to your grandfather?" Thor asked.

Danielle nodded again. "Partly. I mean, I'm not exactly the best at dealing with these kind of things."

"Have you thought carefully about it?"

"Oh yes of course," she replied.

Thor put his hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. "Then I'm sure he will be most pleased."

Danielle smirked. "That's what Mom said."

He chuckled. "She is right though." Suddenly though, he frowned again. "But that isn't all is it not?"

Though Danielle slightly bit her lip, she nodded again. "Yes but, I don't think I want to talk about it right now. Would it be possible for us to wait until, at least this evening?"

Thor raised his eyebrows slightly, but after allowing a thinking expression to cross his face, he nodded. "Very well. But we will talk."

Danielle nodded for a third time, and the two continued walking down the hall in silence.

Before long though, she and her dad made it to a pair of doors, and it didn't take long for her to recognize them as the entrance to her room that she usually stayed in. Her anxiety was quickly replaced by curiosity at seeing her room again, and Thor didn't waste a minute in opening one of the doors.

Once Danielle walked in, her eyebrows were instantly raised and her eyes widened. The room was at least five times as big as hers back on Earth, and she always thought it a bit large to be cozy. Even so, she regarded herself as very fortunate. All across the floor there was a rug woven with fine red and gold. Hanging from the middle of the ceiling was a small chandelier. In the center of the room stood a long lounge chair, with a medium-sized wooden table standing in front of it. On the far left stood the wooden wardrobe that held her clothes, and on the far right stood her bed, with a red blanket and a tall golden canopy. Near the bed was an opening which led to a large balcony, and hanging from the two large windows that adorned that side of the wall were long, golden curtains, ready to be drawn.

Danielle slowly turned around back to her dad, a slight frown on her face. "Dad, do you mind if I have some time to myself?" she asked, "I kind of want to get used to being here, on my own."

Thor smiled and nodded. "Of course. I look forward to seeing you at tonight's feast. I'm sure you will make your grandparents proud."

He then stepped forward and hugged her. But before Danielle could let her somewhat off-guard reaction be known, he turned around and walked down the remainder of the hall, leaving her alone as she wished.

Danielle then walked into the room, and waited until her dad left her vision, before closing it, putting down her case, and running eagerly over to her bed, where she jumped onto it and let out a brief laugh of pleasure. Though she didn't want to admit it, she did feel a bit lucky. Not many girls had this type of luxury awaiting them when they went on vacation. Now she had another good thing to add to her list.

Still, as Danielle lay in the bed staring up at the canopy, her eyes wandered over to her case. She knew that to best prepare for presenting her gift to the king, she had to practice, and, though she had already practiced several times that week, she decided that a few more times wouldn't hurt.

After three rounds, not only did she believe she was ready, but she – or rather her body – remembered how little sleep she had gotten the night before. Deciding she might as well try to look refreshed for later, she laid herself across the lounge chair, laid her head on the most comfortable looking pillow, and closed her eyes.

She opened them again upon hearing a series of knocks on her door. Against her desire to go back to sleep, she stood up from the chair, rubbed her eyes, and walked over to the door.

"Yes?"

"Milady," a feminine voice answered, "are we permitted to enter? We have been sent to help you prepare for the feast, as it starts in less than an hour."

Danielle gasped slightly. How long had she slept? And how could she prepare in less than an hour for the feast that was to celebrate her return to Asgard? Starting out her first evening here with bad manners was the last thing she wanted, so she called back, "Yes of course, come in!"

She then opened the door, and there before her stood a woman in simple but elegant clothing whom she recognized as one of the ladies-in-waiting.

The woman bowed her head before saying, "Thank you Milady."

Before Danielle could do or say anything in return, both doors opened, causing her to step back in surprise. In walked a group of at least a dozen maids. Two were carrying a trunk, two more carried a large metal tub, another pair carried a large folded screen, and the rest each carried a bucket of what looked to be hot water. Though Danielle before had been helped by maids in preparing for extraordinary events like tonight, she couldn't recall a time when they seemed to be in such a hurry. And with good reason, she admitted. Although, she herself wasn't a hurrying kind of girl.

The woman seemed to notice her startled expression.

"Forgive us for being in such a haste Milady," she said, "In fact, to compensate, I shall tell you that it is truly a pleasure to have you back in His Majesty's realm. I assume things go well for you in Midgard?"

Danielle managed a smile. "It's good to be back. And yes, things are going well for me on Earth."

The woman nodded. "And I hear from His Highness that you have a splendid gift for His Majesty, in keeping with our customs?"

"Well, I wouldn't exactly call it 'splendid' but, I think I've worked hard on it," Danielle replied.

"I'm sure His Majesty will be delighted," the woman smiled warmly, "And remember, should you need anything, you can always refer to me."

"Thank you, um…"

"Sága," the woman told her, seeming not to have minded that Danielle forgot.

"Yes," she tried to smile through her embarrassment, "thank you, Sága."

Sága nodded only briefly, before turning back to business. "Yes well, greetings aside, first things first. You must have a bath."

Danielle looked and saw that the screen had been set up, and the maids' buckets were now empty, indicating the warm water-filled tub that awaited her. Though she'd bathed just hours earlier, she decided not to refuse, not wanting the hard work of the maids to go to waste.

"Would you like for us to help you?" Sága asked.

"Oh, that won't be necessary. I can do it myself."

"Very well, but I should warn you to hurry."

"I will," Danielle nodded as she went behind the screen. She quickly took off her clothes, putting them on the screen for the maids, and then let her hair down before stepping into the steaming, hot tub, where she took the soaps and shampoos laid out for her, and scrubbed her skin and hair.

Once she announced she was finished, one of the maids standing on the other side of the screen handed her a robe. After pulling it on, she was escorted to the golden vanity that stood near her bed, where two more maids dried and brushed her hair before braiding her bangs, and pulling her hair back.

Danielle was then presented with her dress. It was periwinkle blue, with the skirt reaching all the way to the floor. A silver metal breastplate covered the chest, with the sparkling ivory neckline bordering it. The over-sleeves which sparkled as much as the neckline traveled to the floor, the under-sleeves went to her wrists, with armlets also made of silver metal adorning them, and a girdle encircled the waist.

Danielle didn't hesitate for even a second as the maids helped her in the dress. They then presented her with a pair of satin slippers with the same color as her dress, and she stepped into them. Then came the last part of the preparations: makeup. The maids went to work giving her sparkling eyeshadow, mascara, blush, and lipstick. And for a finishing touch, Sága crowned her head with a silver circlet tiara.

Once all was said and done, Danielle widened her eyes at her transformed self in her vanity mirror. Though she could have easily done all of this herself, she didn't mind being pampered every once in a while. Now she had a third thing to add to her list as she couldn't help but give a twirl.

"Now you are ready," Sága declared.

"Thank you all very much," Danielle smiled, "It's beautiful."

"We are delighted," Sága nodded, "Now we shall escort you to the feast, and let the whole of the realm know that His Majesty's granddaughter has returned."

Though Sága didn't see it, Danielle swallowed silently, before she followed her out into the hallway with two of the maids behind her.

As she walked in silence through the large, torch-lit halls, both her hands holding her skirt, Danielle, as with every welcoming feast before, felt her heart beat hard against her chest, sensing the weight of worry as it descended on her, hoping to make her father's people glad at her return. Before long, she could hear the voices of dozens, if not hundreds, of people, gathered in the great hall, indicating that the feast was already getting underway. Deciding not to give into worry though, Danielle held her head high and walked with a straight back toward the open doorway.

She was then stopped by Sága, who then proceeded as unnoticeably as possible into the hall, and soon, she returned with Thor, who looked nothing short of impressed as she first was upon seeing her in Asgardian dress.

"Is this really my daughter," he asked, "looking as fair as any beautiful maiden in Yggdrasil?"

Danielle immediately caught on to his trick. "Yes Dad."

Thor's smile grew bigger. "Now _that_ I recognize."

He then hugged her, and Danielle, this time, happily returned it.

"You truly do look amazing," he said, still in her embrace.

"Thanks Dad," Danielle smiled.

"And I hope you were nice to her Sága?"

"Yes of course Your Highness," Sága chuckled.

Thor nodded and then said to Danielle, "Wait here. I'll go and announce you. Just walk in as if you yourself were crown princess of this realm."

With that, he turned and walked back inside, leaving her to contemplate his words perhaps more than he intended. Technically, if her grandfather ever stepped down, Thor would take up his mantle, and as his daughter, Danielle would be crown princess of Asgard. While thinking that over did comfort her somewhat, she could feel the pressure level slowly increasing.

Suddenly, she heard her father's voice in the hall calling for everyone's attention.

"My friends and my family," he then said, "let today be one of joy and happiness, for we have the pleasure of welcoming my daughter back into Asgard. I can assure you that this evening, you will behold a strong and serene young woman with a bearing like any maiden of this realm, and a heartfelt gift presented to my father by her, as is customary. Without further ado, let us give a warm welcome to my daughter, known in Midgard as Danielle Foster, but known to you all as the Lady Thrúd."

With a nod from Sága, Danielle braced herself, took up her skirt, and walked in with the noblest demeanor she could conjure. The room she immediately found was filled with a great sea of faces, familiar and unfamiliar, all watching her. Silence had fallen, save for the sound of her trailing skirt and slippers on the floor. As she did with every welcoming feast, she first went to meet with her grandparents. Her grandfather Odin, looking as mighty as ever, sat on an elevated throne, his left eye – the only one he had – looking at her the whole time. Standing beside him was his queen, Danielle's grandmother Frigga, dressed in a dove-gray gown, and looking as majestic as her husband was mighty.

Danielle sank into a deep curtsy, her eyes to the ground, before rising back up and saying, "My dear grandfather king, I am delighted to return to the realm that you rule. Have you been faring well?"

Odin gave only a hint of a smile before replying, "As well as ever, my dear. Thank you for your concern. I assume the same for you?"

"Yes," Danielle replied, "Thank you."

Then, with his silent permission, Danielle walked up to the throne, and gave her grandfather a kiss on the cheek. She then turned to Frigga.

"Grandmother. You look lovely tonight."

Frigga smiled. "Thank you child. As do you. May you have a pleasant visit, for it is truly a pleasure to have you back."

"Thank you." Danielle then kissed Frigga on the cheek while her grandmother kissed her on hers.

She then turned around, allowing her grandfather, who now stood from his throne, to raise her hand. "Let us eat, drink, and be merry!" he proclaimed, "For my granddaughter, the Lady Thrúd, has returned to us!"

The people in the hall immediately applauded, though whether for her return or simply that the formalities were over, Danielle couldn't guess. Though her first visit to Asgard had been five years ago, even that wasn't the first time she'd been in this realm. When she was just a few months old, Thor brought her here to be presented to Odin, who publicly acknowledged her as his grandchild and even gave her an Asgardian name: Thrúd. Everyone here called her that, while only her father called her Danielle. Yet another reminder of her half-and-half status.

But soon, Danielle found a distraction: getting reacquainted with her father's old friends. First, she met with Sif, who stood proud and tall in a dress that was armored like Danielle's. In recent years, she'd become the head trainer of those interested in becoming a part of Odin's guard or army, mostly adolescents like Danielle. Though Sif once offered to train Danielle as well, she declined, but since then she had, second thoughts. She then went on to meet with the Warriors Three. First was Hogun the Grim, whom Danielle tried to get to smile every time she visited, but to no avail. Then, she met with Volstagg, at whom Danielle once again marveled, having still retained his muscle even though his appetite seemed never-ending. Finally, she met with Fandral who, as expected, was surrounded by at least three girls before he noticed her.

All of them welcomed her, but as soon as the visits were over, Danielle found that she needed another distraction from her wandering thoughts. She was hungry, and the food looked very inviting, but she quickly went over to the desserts. Though all her life she'd been told to eat dinner before dessert, in keeping with her childhood habits, Danielle hastily ate at least three honeycakes when her dad wasn't looking.

As the evening went on though, she either stayed by her father's side, or carried on conversations with one of his friends, not really willing to try and make friends with some of the other Asgardians. Though she saw few looks that seemed disapproving, they burned themselves into her mind, until finally, she approached Odin's throne a second time, the voices that once filled the hall now lowering to murmurs and whispers.

"Grandfather," she said, "if I may have your permission, I'd like to present my gift to you now, as custom demands."

Odin raised his eyebrows, clearly interested at what it might be. "Very well. Where is it?"

"Well, it's actually in my room," Danielle replied, "Can I go get it?"

"Of course," Odin nodded.

Danielle nodded back, turned toward the doorway, and then nodded again at Thor as she walked past him. Suddenly though, she was approached by Sága.

"Pardon me Milady," she said, "but would you like for me to accompany you?"

Though Danielle was somewhat annoyed by this request, she politely shook her head. "No, I won't be long. I'd like to uh, _surprise _everyone."

"Of course."

Danielle then went on her way down the hall, keeping her skirt above her ankles, anxious over whether or not the gift she had brought to present to her grandfather would be appropriate, and what the reactions from him, her grandmother, Thor, and the rest of those gathered in the hall might be.

About twenty minutes later, Danielle appeared in the great hall again, and – as she knew she would do – immediately caused all heads to turn her way. Gone was the armored periwinkle dress – as well as everything else she originally had on. Instead, she wore the costume she wore at her last dance competition, which was just a few weeks before. Her hair was still pulled back, but the braids were gone. She wore a short-sleeved, gold colored shirt, with shorts that were the same color. Over the shirt was a black vest bordered with gold, and over the shorts was a black skirt also bordered with gold. Instead of her slippers, she wore black dance shoes, and her hands were donned with sparkling black, fingerless gloves. In one hand she held a black hat with a glittering gold ribbon wrapped around it, and in the other, she carried her ipod with speakers on either side.

Ignoring the stares with as much effort as she could muster, she walked back into the hall, set the ipod down and walked over to face Odin.

"Your Majesty," she said, remembering how she'd practiced saying these words over and over, "I know this may not have been what was expected but, on Earth there's a style of dance called jazz, in which I'm well disciplined. I would now like to demonstrate what I've learned. I may not have a physical gift, but I'm going to give you something just as good. My gift to you tonight will be a performance."

Though it took a few silent moments, Odin finally replied, "Very well. You may present your gift to me."

Danielle nodded and managed a smile. "Thank you. I hope Your Majesty will be pleased."

She then walked over to where she placed her ipod, and quickly selected the song – **_"Motown Philly"_** by Boyz II Men – and hit the "play" button. The song instantly came on, and Danielle took a deep breath, as her dance teacher taught her, before finally taking her place, in style, in the center of the room. She then put on her hat, and when the time came, she began her dance.

As she moved to the familiar beat of the song, Danielle employed several tricks her teacher had taught her to make it easier to manage stage fright. She imagined herself somewhere else, perhaps in the middle of New York dancing for a more adoring crowd. Sometimes she closed her eyes briefly, and other times she would lip-sync to the lyrics.

_"Motown Philly back again._

_Doin' a little East Coast swing._

_Boyz II Men, goin' off._

_Not too hard, not too soft."_

Still, Danielle did try to do what her teacher taught was most important – to have fun, bring her own little flare to it, and (perhaps the hardest part) not to worry about what other people thought. But even so, she thought of another thing that made stage fright a bit more manageable: dancing with other people. Now the spotlight was only on her, and ironically, she didn't like it that much, at least not here.

When she finally did finish her dance, she struck her final pose. The room fell into an awkward silence. In an attempt to break it, Danielle said in a small but clear voice, "Ta-da!" Still, Odin – who held an unreadable expression on his face – didn't immediately reply. Danielle could feel beads of sweat begin to trickle down her forehead, not just because of the routine, but – even more so – because she wanted to hear something, anything, from her grandfather.

Soon, a hint of a smile flashed across Odin's face. "That was, most unusual," he said, "But, as you have said, you are well-disciplined in this style of dance, and I am pleased with what you have presented to me. You have done well my dear."

He then began to clap, followed by Frigga, and then the rest of the people gathered in the hall. At first, Danielle felt relieved, almost elated, now that the weight of the need to impress was lifted off her shoulders. Her father even smiled with approval. She was just starting to feel as though she'd achieved her hope of being fully accepted by Thor's people, when she saw disapproving looks slowly turn to near glares as she looked all around at the circle of people.

That was when the feeling of failure suddenly fell on to her without warning. Feeling the instinct to fight it or flee it, Danielle's feet seemed to remain planted where she was, until she made a somewhat reluctant decision.

"Grandfather," she said once she turned back to him, "I am happy that my gift has pleased you. But, for the time being, may I please be excused?"

Odin suddenly looked concerned. "Why such a request?"

"I'm, afraid I don't feel too well. I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize," Odin assured her, "If you are ill, then you have my permission to leave."

"Thank you," Danielle nodded. She then bowed one last time, and then turned to pick up her ipod before heading for the doorway. For a brief few seconds though, as she walked past him, she and Thor caught each other's looks. Before those seconds went by however, Danielle could see how concerned her father looked, while Thor could see just how troubled his daughter looked, and it caused both their hearts to sink.

As Danielle walked back to her room, she reminded herself to ask for something to sooth her to sleep, a kind of Asgardian version of Benadryl. She really did not feel well as she said to her grandfather. It was a strange sort of cycle with her. Whenever she was experiencing really high levels of stress, she would feel really close to sick. She didn't feel the need to ask for a bucket, but she did feel the need to at least lie down.

Once she made it to her room, Danielle went for the lounge chair, set the ipod on the floor beside it, and then climbed onto it, laying her head against the same pillow as she did hours before. Though she could feel hot tears form at the back of her eyes, though, she didn't know exactly why. She did please her grandfather, the person she most wanted to please. So why wasn't she happy? While she did know the reason why, she pushed it to the back of her mind, not wishing to confront it.

Just as she was contemplating falling asleep on the chair, she heard three knocks on her door, and immediately sat up.

"Danielle?" It was her father.

Danielle quickly tucked some loose strands of hair behind her ears before saying, "Come in."

He did so, the concern on his face clearly evident. "Are you any better?"

"I just left," Danielle replied.

"Not even the slightest hint?" Thor asked as he walked over to the chair.

The sad smile he wore caused Danielle to reluctantly look away from him. "Well, maybe just a little."

She then heard her dad chuckle as he sat down next to her, but the tone of his voice was again concerned. "Why did you leave in such haste? Was it merely because you felt ill?"

Remembering how she and Thor looked at each other, and how much she wanted to put this inevitable conversation off, Danielle replied, "No, but, can we talk about this some other time?"

"No," her father insisted without raising his voice, "I am your father, therefore I must see to your emotional wellbeing. What is going on with you?"

That did it. Danielle pressed her lips together, and let out a long sigh, before looking back at Thor and replying, "I want to go home."

"You are home."

"No, I mean home, home," Danielle explained, "On Earth."

Thor frowned. "Why?"

"Did you see the way almost everyone looked at me back there?" Danielle asked, "At least on Earth I'm sort of looked up to. Here…"

She put her head in her hands, not wanting to repeat the conversation she had with her mom the night before.

"Danielle, your grandfather is most pleased with your gift, as am I."

"And everyone else hated it. It was stupid and I looked like an idiot."

"Not so. Did you enjoy it, at all?"

Danielle raised her eyebrows slightly. "I guess," she answered.

"Then is that not the point of dancing? And besides, more liked it than you allow yourself to think. Your grandmother, Sif, the Warriors Three…"

"Oh great," Danielle interrupted him, "Five more people in a room of hundreds."

Thor briefly pressed his lips together at her stubbornness, a reminder that she truly was his daughter. But he kept trying.

"Danielle, I know how hard being such a person must be for you…"

"Really?" she interrupted him again, "That's coming from a guy who was adored for years and years and continues to be."

"As do you," he said in a firm tone, "You may not care to hear this but, the years I spent watching you grow up were some of the best in all my days."

Though it may not have shown on her face, Danielle felt her heart slowly begin to melt. Still, when faced with such strong emotion, she looked away again, and followed the inclination to flee from it.

"Dad, I just, I want to be alone now okay?" she said, "I'm tired."

Just then, she felt the touch of her father's hand on her shoulder leave her, making her – against her wishes – look back at him again. This time, she saw not just concern, but maybe, disappointment? But if it was that, why did he look a bit sad as well?

"Very well," he nodded, "I can see that you need some rest. But remember, you can always come to me if you need anything."

He then stood up, and Danielle watched as he headed toward the door, until she remembered something she might need. "Dad?"

Thor turned around. "Yes?"

"Can you tell Sága to give me something to help me sleep?" she asked.

"Of course," her dad nodded, "If I shouldn't see you again, then, I bid you good night."

"Good night," Danielle nodded back.

She continued to watch as he proceeded back to the door, and was in the middle of saying, "I love you," but her dad closed the door behind him, cutting her off. Though most would have taken this as mere coincidence, Danielle felt as though she was getting a taste of her own medicine.

Even so, she quickly found a way to distract herself. She changed out of her dancing outfit and into her white nightgown, and let down her hair. She then walked outside, onto her balcony, and leaned over the railing, staring at the darkened sky that so reminded her of the one she had on Earth. Though here, it was much more beautiful. Without the lights of New York City diminishing their faint twinkling, here the stars shone with brilliance, scattered across the black canvas as though by a painter's stroke. She felt almost mesmerized by it.

Before too much time passed though, Danielle heard another series of knocks on her front door. She opened it, and there stood Sága, holding a golden goblet on a tray. Knowing it was the drink mixed with medicine that she wanted, she thanked the lady-in-waiting, and quickly swallowed it whole before returning it to her. Sága then bode her good night, and left, allowing Danielle to go to where she really wanted now: her bed.

But as she lay in the bed that was at least three times as big as the one she had on Earth, she couldn't get the puzzling image of her dad's expression out of her mind. She slowly began to realize that she hadn't really thought about the words she said, about wanting to be alone. Was that the reason why he looked as he did? She didn't know. She wanted to, yet another part of her just wanted to sleep it off.

Turning over on one side of her bed, and closing her eyes, Danielle soon found herself focusing on one thing she did know for sure: that she was truly fortunate to have parents who loved her, and would always have her back, as they had done so since the beginning.

* * *

_Reviews would be appreciated._


	4. An Extraordinary Child

**The Valkyrie Has Come**

Chapter 3 – An Extraordinary Child

**Flashback…**

As Jane stood in one of the hallways of the great palace of Asgard, donned in an armored, dark blue dress, it was all she could do to keep her anxiety to a minimum level. This wasn't the first time she'd been here, though, the circumstances during her previous visit were less than favorable. However, all she could think about was how everything today might unfold, as she held the small bundle wrapped in a long white blanket against her chest.

Danielle. That was her name. How she and Thor were able to have a baby at all was still unknown to her, yet here she was, six months old, with a round face, a patch of blond hair on her head, and large brown eyes, about to be presented to the more powerful side of her family. While Jane did think it was a good idea, she still felt nervous, remembering the reaction she and Thor got when he told them that they'd married.

She jumped slightly when she heard footsteps coming toward her. She felt relieved when she saw that it was only Thor. He walked eagerly over to her, but slowed down slightly when he saw the emotion on her face.

"Are you well?" he asked her.

"Well enough," Jane showed a brief smile, "I just…I don't know about this. It just, feels like it's happening too fast."

"I will be with you the whole time," Thor assured her, "I'll go in and announce you, and you won't have to say a word. Trust me, all will eventually be well."

"You think they'll like her?"

"How could anyone not like this most beautiful of faces?" he asked as he looked down on Danielle. He then gave Jane a brief kiss and then walked back into the great hall.

Before long, Jane heard his voice echo into the hallway. "My friends, my family, as the Crown Prince of this realm, it is my duty to love and serve it well, even before I take the throne. I wholeheartedly regret that I did not demonstrate either by marrying the woman I love without consulting you. Let today be a day of reconciliation, for in the past few months, my wife and I have welcomed the most beautiful little girl into our lives, and I do not intend to make the same mistake I made previously. My people, please welcome Jane Foster, and our daughter, Danielle."

Everyone in the hall looked toward the doorway, and in walked a somewhat reluctant Jane who, with slight help from Thor, approached the throne of Odin. But what everyone focused on was the baby she held.

"Father," Thor said, "May I present to you, your first grandchild."

With some silent urging from him, Jane held out Danielle, allowing Odin to take her up in his arms.

Silence fell onto the hall as Odin beheld Danielle for the first time. As his one eye met her pair of eyes, he recalled – if only briefly – another time when he held a child who wasn't his, yet, in many ways, even now, was his. Still a frown crossed his face, until he remembered the purpose of this day.

He looked back at Thor and said, "My son, though you still retain some of your old foolishness, as evidenced by what you did just over a year ago, you were most wise to come here, and share with us, the joy of you becoming a father yourself."

Thor nodded. "I thank you, Father."

Odin nodded back. Then, as everyone watched, he stood up, and walked down the short flight of stairs and toward his people, still holding Danielle, with Thor, Jane, and Frigga following behind.

He then said in a loud, clear voice, "Let it be known, that from this day forward, I now acknowledge this baby girl as my granddaughter. Furthermore, she shall be included in the line of succession. Should my son ascend to the throne of Asgard, she shall be crown princess."

His people listened carefully as he continued. "In fact, she shall have a name from our own language, that she may be recognized by the people of this realm."

He then looked back at Danielle, to let everyone know that he was sincere. "From now on, she will be known here as, Thrúd – strength – the Lady of Asgard, and the daughter of Thor."

Finally, Odin returned his gaze to his people, and asked them, "Shall the words that I have just spoken be acknowledged by all in this realm?"

"Yes Sir," the crowd of people replied.

Odin nodded, and then turned around to give Danielle back to her mother, before turning back to address his people one last time. "Very well. Let today, then, be a day, not only of reconciliation, but of celebration too!"

The people quickly voiced their agreement, causing a smile to appear on the faces of Odin, Frigga, Thor, and even, to some extent, Jane.

To the surprise of both Thor and Jane, the day went forth a bit more smoothly than they expected. As Thor had hoped, the people were largely kind to Jane, though whether they were doing so out of respect for her or for him, he didn't know. Even so, both received repeated congratulations, compliments, even requests to hold the newly-titled lady, not just from the people gathered in the hall, but also from Sif and the Warriors Three.

"An infant worthy of her name," Sif said.

"What a beautiful baby," Fandral said before turning to Thor, claiming, "and she looks nothing like you!"

Needless to say, this gave him a teasing shove in the shoulder from Thor.

But later, after Jane had been approached nearly countless times by people wanting to see the baby, Danielle began whimpering softly, a clear indication that she was ready for a nap. Knowing what would come if she didn't get to sleep soon, Jane looked eagerly for Thor, until she spotted him on the other side of the hall, talking to two other people. She immediately strode in haste over to him, and he dismissed the ones he was speaking to as soon as he saw her.

"Yes?"

"Thor," Jane said with polite honesty, "She's getting tired and, honestly, so am I."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes," Jane nodded.

"Then I shall…" Thor stopped midway, as he had the sense that something was wrong. He was soon proved right when he saw a sinister-looking shadow stretch from the doorway. He didn't even need to turn his head to know where it came from, nor did he have to listen to the series of gasps that immediately came from the crowd. Still, he turned his head and saw the person he least expected to see: his adopted brother.

"Loki!"

As the god of mischief stood in the doorway, Thor could make out the smug smile that stretched across his face.

"My son," Odin said as he stood from his throne, "why do you darken my hall?"

Loki let out a droll chuckle. "It's wonderful to see you all too."

"Why are you even here?" Thor asked as he walked over to him.

Before Loki could reply, he went on to say, "If you have come to initiate a scheme, I assure you I will stop it before you can!"

"Oh, far be it from me to do such a thing," Loki said, "In fact, it wasn't even on my mind, at least until you mentioned it."

Thor was about to say more, when Loki interrupted him. "No. I am only here to pay my respects, as I am, in some way, still a part of this family."

"How can I know you're telling the truth?" Thor asked.

"I give you my word, brother," Loki replied in the least sarcastic of tones, "No illusions, no trickery, nothing."

At first, Thor didn't want to believe him. But after remembering all that they had went through growing up, and how much help he had recently been, he let out a sigh. "Then I will hold you to your word."

"Excellent," Loki smiled again, "Now, back to my reason for being here."

He then eyed, as though he was a snake, Jane, and the baby. "Of course," he said as he took small steps toward her, "The child."

Though Jane wanted to flee, she felt trapped. But one thing was for sure, she wasn't allowed to let this shady man scare her, no matter how much his eyes seemed to pierce her.

Loki stopped in front of her, the smile still on his face, and then, he held out his arms. "May I?" he asked.

Suddenly, it dawned on her. Loki wanted to hold Danielle. But rather than give in to his request, Jane held her baby even closer to her chest, hoping her anxiety didn't register with him. "Um, uh, I don't know," she shook her head.

"Oh come now," Loki pressed her, "I promise you, I won't bite."

Jane still hesitated. She looked at Thor – who'd followed him from behind – then at Loki, and then back at Thor again. He did say he would hold Loki to his word, and she knew him to be the first person to come to, not just her defense, but definitely Danielle's too. Even so, she waited a short while before reluctantly transferring the baby girl from her hold to Loki's.

In spite of the expectations of both Thor and Jane, Loki cradled her as gently as anyone else would.

"Ah yes," he said as his green eyes met her large brown eyes, "my brother-daughter." He then kissed her on the forehead, causing Thor and Jane to feel even more odd about the already strange sight in front of them.

"Just as beautiful as they come." He then looked at Thor and Jane and asked, "What's her name again?"

Jane answered, "Danielle," while at the same time, Thor answered, "Thrúd."

He looked confused at them, until Thor explained, "We call her Danielle but, Father recently gave her the name of Thrúd."

"Ah," Loki nodded as he looked back at her, "Thrúd, for strength. Not the first name I would think of for such a child but, it'll do."

Just then, Danielle started whimpering again, only this time it was louder than before.

"Well, not very well behaved now is she?" Loki asked, "Come now child. I'm only trying to be nice."

By now, Jane had had enough. Fortunately, she had a reasonable excuse. "It's alright, she's just tired," she said as she walked over to him, "Here, give her to me." She then quickly took Danielle away from Loki, and hastily walked away to the balcony outside, singing softly to her.

Trying to distract him, Thor took Loki aside. "Brother, why would you come here willingly? Is it merely because you wish to show respect?"

"So I'm not even allowed to meet my own niece?" Loki asked sarcastically, "And after I helped you defeat the Dark Elves."

"I appreciate it Loki." He then looked him in the eye. "But I fear my suspicion of you will never truly be gone."

"You still think I'm going to try and oppose you? Here and now? I couldn't do anything more foolish. After all, you are now a father, a position where one can be at his most powerful."

Strangely, Thor found nothing to say to counter him.

"Well then," Loki continued, "since I am obviously not wanted here, I shall be kind enough to depart."

He then put his hand on Thor's shoulder, as he once used to do so many times, and said, "I bid you good day, brother."

Loki then turned his back to Thor, and strode back to the doorway, without saying the same to Odin or Frigga. Not one person was not watching him as he left the hall, and the stares only turned away as soon as they were sure he was gone. Thor's, though, was the last to turn away, before he went over to be with Jane again.

The rest of the day seemed to pass slowly, until the sky above Asgard finally fully darkened. Inside the palace, Thor and Jane were in the room that they shared, putting Danielle to sleep. Thor held her above the crib, smiling at her innocent way of sleeping.

"My Danielle," he said before kissing her on the forehead. He then turned toward Jane and said, "Who knows? Perhaps one day this little girl will preside over the Nine Realms."

Jane smiled back, but then said, "That's nice but, don't you think it's a bit far-fetched?"

Thor only shrugged his shoulders. "Well, one can dream."

He then lowered Danielle into the crib, and turned to one of the ladies-in-waiting. "Thank you Sága," he said, "I'm truly grateful for your services."

Sága smiled and nodded. "I am delighted to do what I can."

Thor nodded back, and then turned to Jane. But before he could take her to what he wanted to show her, she hesitated.

"You know, I don't know about this," she said, "I mean, I've never left her with a stranger."

"It's alright Jane," Thor assured her, "Sága loves children. And it's only for a short while."

"And you deserve some time off," Sága added.

Still Jane hesitated, until finally, she nodded. "Alright, but only for a few minutes."

"That's all we shall need," Thor said as he offered his arm, "Come."

Jane slowly took it, but all she could do as she walked out of the room with him was look back at her sleeping child until the wall blocked her view.

She and Thor walked the halls together in silence, the guards bowing their heads as soon as they walked past them. Jane was seriously thinking of turning back, when Thor leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Close your eyes."

Despite wanting to return, Jane did as he said, until she was permitted to open them again. What she saw instantly caused her eyes to widen and made her gasp. She and Thor were in a large, domed room. The dome stretched several feet above them, and it was made of glass, allowing Jane to behold with awe the magnificent sight beyond it. The sky was completely black, yet all across it were hundreds, if not thousands, of stars. One group of stars, gathered together so it looked like a cloud, seemed to stretch across the sky from one horizon to the other. Jane guessed it was the Milky Way, though being in a different realm, she wasn't entirely sure.

What she was sure of, was that this was a sight more amazing than she'd ever seen on Earth. She walked to the edge of the dome and could see nearly the whole of Asgard from where she was.

"Is this an observatory?" she asked.

"Yes it is," Thor replied as he walked up beside her, "Do you like it?"

"It's…" All Jane could do was sigh, "Oh, it's beautiful. Thank you for showing it to me!"

"You're, more than welcome," Thor said, before he too let out a sigh. Jane turned to see that he was frowning.

"What's wrong?"

Thor pressed his lips together before replying, "I was thinking about earlier, when Loki arrived in the hall, and when he held Danielle."

"I know," Jane agreed, "I didn't like it either."

"Well, it reminded me of the more gentle side Loki used to have, before…" He trailed off, thinking of better days. Even so, he continued.

"I often wonder what would have happened, had I been there when he learned of his true origins, if I hadn't let my foolishness get the better of me."

In an effort to comfort him, Jane took Thor's hand in hers. "It's too late to change things now."

"Perhaps," Thor agreed, "But if you had met him before he fell into the abyss, you would have thought him a completely different person. In fact, we used to joke that if we had children, we'd try to make them fall in love with each other."

The mere thought caused both him and Jane to chuckle.

"But now," Thor frowned again, "I can't help but think that, everything Loki has done since then, was partly my doing. Yet, even with all this power, I cannot change the past."

"No," Jane shook her head, "But you can change the future."

Thor looked at her with questioning eyes.

"I mean, yeah, you may have lost a great friend but, look at what you've gained. We're married and, we have a beautiful little girl."

Thor nodded, feeling a sudden determination within him. "You're right. And you know, I may not know much about parenting, but I will see to it that she becomes a lady whom both Earth and Asgard can be proud of."

Jane took Thor's other hand into her own and looked at him with soft eyes. "We'll do it together."

Thor couldn't help but smile, knowing she was right. The two then leaned toward each other, and were about to kiss, when they heard a loud scream echo through the hallway outside the domed room. Recognizing it as Sága, Thor and Jane immediately rushed down the hallways as fast as they could, wondering desperately what just happened, until they returned to the room, where four armed guards had gathered and Thor found that Sága had been thrown against the wall.

"Sága!" While he went to her side, Jane hurried over to the crib, and to her horror, their baby girl wasn't there.

"Thor!" she managed to say, feeling as though she'd have a heart attack, "Danielle's gone!"

Thor's eyes instantly widened. He ran over to where Jane was, and instantly feared the worst when he saw the empty crib. He then went back to the lady-in-waiting and asked, "Sága, what happened?"

Sága was clearly shaken over what had just occurred, but through her heavy breathing, she replied, "He simply came in, and took her. I tried to stop him but…"

"Who took her?!" Thor demanded.

Sága took three deep breaths before letting out a single name. "Loki."

Once he heard that name, Thor's temper immediately went into overdrive. He felt as though he could fly into a rage and summon a lightning storm of cosmic proportions. "I knew this would happen! I knew I shouldn't have trusted him!"

"But what would he want with her?!" Jane asked, through the tears that were now streaming down her cheeks.

Suddenly, the guards came and knelt before Thor, ready to follow orders. One of them said, "Sire, simply tell us, and we will set out to find him!"

Knowing that he couldn't put Danielle's life in jeopardy, Thor replied, "No. It's too dangerous. I shall go, alone. You will stay with Jane and Sága, should he return."

Just then, a firm, hard-gripping hand grasped his wrist. He turned and was slightly surprised to see it was Jane, with her lips pressed together, and her eyes almost piercing into him. With a fierce voice, she said, "Thor, don't you _dare_ come back without her!"

With the knowledge that he couldn't argue with her, and that he wanted Danielle back as much as she did, Thor gave a gentle, but firm, reply. "I give you my word."

Jane nodded, and then let him go. Thor then hurried out of the room and down the hallways, knowing if he didn't think of a plan fast, Danielle's life might be on the line.

First, he had to think of where Loki might have gone, and why exactly he kidnapped Danielle in the first place. Surely taking her could be considered an attack against Thor. Suddenly, that was when Thor remembered the very first place Loki opposed him, and he ran even faster when he realized where Loki most likely went.

Once he was outside the palace in the dead of night, he rushed over to the Bifröst Bridge. With his red cape attached to his shoulders and his hammer in hand, he flew down toward the domed room where, sure enough, he saw a man with his back turned to him, wearing golden armor, an unmistakable helmet, and a green cape stretching to the floor.

"Loki!" Thor shouted as soon as he landed.

Slowly, his foster-brother turned around, his finger to his mouth. "Shh," he said, "the baby's sleeping."

As he faced Thor, and let out a chuckle, he pulled back his cape to reveal what he had been hiding. In his arms was the sleeping Danielle, still wrapped in her white blanket.

"Oh if only your father could see this," Loki said to Thor, clearly referring to Odin, "How familiar it would seem to him. I really could simply take her to be my own."

"Well you can't!" Thor angrily countered, "She's mine! Now why have you taken her?!"

Loki was about to answer, when Thor went on to say, "If you have done anything to her, I will personally smash you out of this realm!"

"And how will you do that with your child in the way?" Loki asked him.

Though he still gripped his hammer firmly, Thor slowly realized that, as angry as he was at him, Loki was right. He couldn't attack him as long as he held Danielle, and it began to pain him.

"Therein lies the reason behind my taking of her," Loki explained, "Do you not remember when I said that when one is a father, one can be at his most powerful? Well, it can also be when one is at his most vulnerable."

Thor didn't know what to say, being confused – and almost a bit frightened – at his words. "Elaborate," he implored him.

"Gladly," Loki said. He then gave Thor his most serious expression. "Listen carefully, for I do not make such offers every day. I am offering you, a truce, for the coming years, so long as you agree to my terms."

"And what are your terms?" Thor asked, keeping his inner guard up.

Loki began to slowly walk toward him. "I will not oppose you, as long as you will not oppose me." Thor then watched as he made his way to one side, and then the edge, of the bridge.

"You try to come against me, and, I think you know what will happen."

By now, Loki was holding Danielle over the turbulent lake underneath the bridge. Thor's inner panic only increased all the more when he heard Danielle begin to whimper. An indication that she was awake.

"Loki!" he shouted, "Don't you _dare_!"

Loki immediately pulled her back as he said in frustration, "Oh of course I'm not going to drop your beloved offspring. And no! I have not harmed her nor do I intend to. That is, of course, as long as you keep your end of the bargain."

He then silently walked over to Thor, still holding Danielle, until he was only a few feet away from him. "What do you say, dear brother?"

Thor could only look at Danielle's eyes, which were now focusing on his, and he couldn't even begin to think about anything happening to her, not now or ever. He looked back at Loki, and said with the most serious of tones, "I just want my daughter back."

Loki only frowned in response. "Very well, she is yours." He then slowly, and gently, set her down on the bridge floor, and backed away from her, his fierce eyes on Thor the whole time. "But remember my warning Odinson!"

Before Thor could say anything else, Loki took the edge of his cape and, turning around, covered himself with it. In a split second, he disappeared from Thor's view. Whether he was merely invisible, or had teleported – which he never knew him to be able to do – Thor didn't know. Whatever the case, he quickly knelt down and tenderly picked up Danielle, and managed to calm her after shushing her and saying he was here. Only when he himself felt calm enough did he go back to the palace.

Meanwhile, Jane was doing all she could to keep herself from hyperventilating, assuring herself that Thor would keep his word, when she suddenly heard his voice call her name. She immediately turned around, and just as instantly felt elated the second she saw Thor holding Danielle. The slight smile on his face indicated, to her relief, that she was okay, and she wasted no time running up to him and taking her up in her own arms.

"Oh Thor," she said before kissing him, "I've never been so worried in my life!"

"You won't have to worry anymore," he assured her, "All that matters is that she is back, and that she is well."

Jane could only let out a sigh as she rested her head against his shoulder. To her further comfort, he put his hand on her shoulder. But as the two immersed themselves into the relief that Danielle was alright, Thor's own thoughts couldn't help but travel back to his confrontation with Loki. Why did he not want him to oppose him? Was he going to initiate another scheme, and use Danielle's safety as a shield? Ironically, Thor didn't want to concentrate on it. No matter what Loki did, he couldn't bring himself to hate him entirely. However, if he was ever going to threaten Danielle in the future, Thor would be the first one to keep harm from coming to her.

**End of Flashback…**

* * *

_Reviews would be appreciated._


End file.
